A skip and a jump
AN Thank you for all your lovely reviews they definitely keep an author motivated! I felt like the story needed a little bit of first person narration so here's Elodie in her own words! Also, I've been slightly obsessed by a certain movie and its sequel as well as its soundtrack. Have a look at the second paragraph and see if you can guess!
POV Elodie
Academic Year 1989-1990 The year Fred and George start Hogwarts, two years before Harry.
When examining my life I've always divided it up into certain sections. Certainly we've got the big pre and current slavery division but you can also look at it pre and post the meetings of Remus or Fred and George or even Rosmerta as well the time when I was about eighteen and realised I was now more fluent in English than French.
However, when reminiscing about my pre Hogwarts life as I tended to do a lot during those long dreary years at Hogwarts, I've always seen it as a little cocoon. My mother for all her faults, which I've come to recognise, really did wrap me up in a bundle of love and care. I'm not certain but it's clear her own childhood in Lyons was not a happy one and she ran away at twenty to London for not just an adventure but love as well. However, London was like a certain Greek island, in ways not including the weather, and my mother found that men can cause much pain as well as love. I'm not sure of whom my father is as she had always shrugged it off when asked. I know there are ways to find out but they're expensive and well I doubt he would remember her. Many people over the years have called my mother a French whore with allusions to the brothels of Knockturn Alley but to be honest the vast majority never met her and those who did never knew her. I don't know really. I loved her but she was gone.
Like my mother I have certainly found that men often result in pain. I can't really think of many who haven't. I also can't really think of many women who haven't caused me pain either. I didn't really understand what Dumbledore had done to me initially. I was so scared and unsure of him the first months at Hogwarts but also hopeful as the elves spoke of what a great man he was. When he brought me to Remus I really thought this was going to be a change but my stupid magic level put stop to that. For years I thought Remus had left in disgust that I wasn't magical but the fact is that I am magical just not enough.
When Dumbledore brought me to his office that summer night I had no idea what was to occur. All I remember is drinking that potion and feeling my entire body churn as the chemistry of my body was distorted. I didn't know what it was and didn't for years. I can remember waking up and one of the house elves explaining to me that I was to live and work with them then being put to work washing pans. They were so scared of me asking questions that I gave up. I don't think the elves were given much of an explanation other than I was to live and work with them. House elves start work as soon as they can walk so a little girl working for hours each day didn't really phase them though they are always kind. I initially spent most of my time in the kitchen washing dishes, helping to plate up and reaching high cupboards. Then I moved onto laundry spending hours moving clothes from one chute to another and sorting out into rooms. I had a month or so in the repair room where it was mutually agreed sewing wasn't really my thing. Dumbledore didn't want me to be seen by the staff or pupils so it was only at night or the holidays that I would venture into the main school. People ask me did I know such and such a pupil or did I see a particular incident, but it felt so distant. I was vaguely aware of a girl who could change her hair and nose and fell over a lot because at the age of twelve I spent a morning polishing and attempting to repair the twenty pairs of armour she bumped into. I did know about the great tomato fight of 1990 but that was because I was up until 2am squeezing tomato juice out of centuries' old tapestry. For me, the staff and students really just represented a herd of elephants I must avoid and then clean up their messes.
I was probably about thirteen when I found the exception to this rule. For reference, this was the beginning of the academic year 1989-1990 two years before Harry Potter began Hogwarts. It was fairly late and past curfew and I had ventured out of the kitchen to allegedly sort out the dodgy hinge in Charms but aimed to make a pitstop in the Prefect's bathroom. Also I really wanted to avoid cleaning the treacle tart tin. I was just closing the door as I heard an honest to goodness war cry and was hit by two identical lumps. I found myself lying on the ground as the lumps realised what had happened. There were lots of "sorry!" before I grabbed the closed freckled hand and was hauled up to my feet where I observed my attackers. I genuinely did wonder if I had concussion and was seeing double before one spoke and the other did not. They were two brightly ginger freckled little boys. However, one was in the midst of their "cheeky chappy" routine whilst the other looked that little more bashful. I was soon to realise the first was Fred and the second George. Yes, whilst they really did look identical I was soon to find out that Fred was generally the instigator and did a lot of the talking whilst George slightly hung back but would be the first to apologise. This was actually reversed on the Quidditch Pitch and only George ever received a warning for his repeated aim at heads. Anyway, I digress, it would be two years before I saw them on the quidditch pitch. I was barely able to regain my senses before I was hit by many a question.
"Who are you?"
"What house are you?"
"Is that really the kitchens?"
"Are you ok?"
I sighed and really to get away from them quickly murmured, "Elodie, and yes it's the kitchens." I went to leave, eager for my rendezvous for the bathroom but they grabbed my arm.
"Wait. You can't just leave, how do we get into the kitchen? Also, how come we've never seen you before?"
Why of all nights did I have to get stuck with the twin terrors who had already wreaked havoc and received a howler in their first two weeks? I'd been up since 6 and just wanted to soak in the bath so my next response was probably a little ill-advised and Dumbledore would have hit the roof to see the squib fraternising with good little Light purebloods.
"Just tickle the pear, but don't tell them it was me" I muttered, wrenching myself free as the boys excitedly turned to the painting. And that little phrase dear Readers, cost a small fortune in cakes and butterbeer over the next seven years. The elves loved it despite the accounting issues and the twins thankfully kept quiet about the source of their knowledge. I remember lying in the tub aiming to stay well away from the Weasley terrors but as luck would have it, a few weeks later they requisitioned the Marauders Map from Filch and made a point of slightly stalking me.
They eventually cornered me after curfew one night in October. I was sitting on the big bench/window seat near the Divination stairs allegedly cleaning the stained glass but more dreaming out the window. These dreams were interrupted by the eleven year old menaces who plopped down beside me. Whilst my dear readers may be wondering why I just didn't report them for curfew, none of the staff were aware of my existence and I tried to avoid Dumbledore. Some random ghosts knew I existed but were too disconnected to care. Also the classrooms were warded against students being in the room on their own. Whilst curfew breaking isn't ideal for sleep patterns there wasn't any real danger just annoyances for me. Anyway before I could get a word in, Fred began his cheeky chappy routine which wasn't to be honed for another few years so was more cute kid than debonair at this point in time.
"So Elodie, my mysterious one who are you?"
George joined in with that weird twin speak they did to unnerve others to great effect. "We've watched you on the map, you don't come to meals, you sleep in the kitchen, you only come out at night. You're not a student."
"The real question here is," At this point I was tensing hard. "are you hiding pointy ears or your teeth?"
I was flabbergasted and laughed. "What?"
George smiled. "Are you house elf or vampire? We considered a werewolf but you were wandering around the castle last full moon. You seem to live with the house elves but it's the accent. Is it Transylvanian?"
I really couldn't help but laugh at this point but quickly sobered up. What would Dumbledore do if this idea of a secret girl got about Hogwarts. He most likely wasn't hiding another one of me was he?
I took a deep breath. "Look, all I can tell you is that my name is Elodie and I work here. I'm not a house elf or vampire, just a normal person. The accent is French not Transylvanian." I knelt down in front of the two boys whose laughing smiles were sobered by my seriousness/desperation. "You can not tell anyone. You understand? No friends, no teachers. This is very très important." I had a good grasp of English at this point but the accent certainly got stronger when stressed (or drunk but I didn't discover this for another few years).
The boys didn't answer. I gripped their hands tighter. "Do you promise not to tell anyone?" They fervently nodded. I smiled, hoping to lighten the tension. "Right, it's nearly midnight, I'll show you a way to get to the common room without going past McGonagall's."
They were silent as I walked them back up to the common room. As the Fat Lady was opening up Fred turned round. "Wait Elodie. Does Dumbledore know you're here? Can we come visit you?"
I gave them a brief smile but shook my head. "Non, you can't be spending time with me. Go to class, play snap with your friends."
I didn't get a response as the Fat Lady snapped at them stating she wasn't a jam jar waiting to be opened at all hours in the night for silly first years' own amusement. (I thought it was a silly analogy took.) I hurried back to the kitchen simultaneously hoping that was and wasn't the end of my night-time wanderings with the Weasley Twins. They lasted three days before coming to find me again and well we formed a little routine. I insisted it could only be once a week as they were only eleven with school the next day, but we'd meet in the Astronomy tower safe from staff patrols. I couldn't tell them much about my life, but I could tell them funny things about house elves and provide cake. They were always good for a story about their antics in the classroom and the Weasley family. I wouldn't meet the Weasley family for a good five years, but I loved their stories of the close knit but manic household. I was only thirteen and desperate for companionship and if I did stumble across their pranks, well I didn't stop them apart from the time I forbade the throwing of 20 kg of flour. It's a nightmare to clean. I knew they were very curious about my life and picked up titbits, but I never let on how old I really was. I think they assumed I was a young seventeen year old working in the kitchen for some unknown reason. My childhood ended with the death of my mother when I was ten, I definitely didn't have the demeanour of the typical thirteen year old. I saw even the older students as little children to be picked up having quickly gotten over the stage of comparing myself to my peers who would have been in 3rd year at this point.
That was my life for a good few years really and they were my light. I always looked forward to summer as I could walk around Hogwarts in the daytime and Dumbledore allowed me to use lost property to furnish my wardrobe, but I definitely missed my little ginger menaces.
AN sorry it's a short one but thought you'd want a bit. Next chapter is when Harry hits Hogwarts. Plan is to whiz through the first two books but really focus in on book 3 when a certain Welsh professor will reappear. The bits about George tending to be shyer is from JK Rowling herself.
